The natural world is filled with many driving forces that can cause harm and degradation to your car’s exterior and inner workings. Summer is the time of road-trips, outdoor adventures and hot and humid days; as such keeping your vehicle in top fighting form and looking good can be tricky with the elements working against you. Continue reading on as we break down tips to help you protect your car from the outdoor elements!
Park away from the Sun
The sun radiates energy down to the surface of the Earth in a spectrum of different wavelengths; most harmful to the vehicle after long-term exposure can be ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) radiation. IR rays end up heating up your car, which can cause the paint to start to wear away and crack at higher temperatures, while the higher energy UV rays can end up breaking down the pigment causes a faded blotchy appearance. The folks at Texan Dodge Jeep Ram (Houston, TX) insist that the easiest way to avoid allowing these forms of radiation to affect your car’s exterior is to park in the shade, or in a garage. The best time of day to keep your car out of the sun is during late-morning to early-afternoon as more direct light filters down onto your car. With a bit of shade consistently each day, you can help protect your car’s exterior over long durations of time.
Wash Car Consistently
Car paint both in application and composition has substantially improved over the generations. Currently though, paint and car exteriors are still susceptible to scratches and degrading paint due to deposits of dirt, gravel, and biomaterial. Washing your car weekly is the clear cut way to keep a sturdy protective outer layer for your car. When washing your car, it is always important to rinse it off before wiping it down; immediately wiping the car down can cause micro-scratches in the paint and finish from dragging dirt or gravel across the body giving more space for degradation to occur. If soap and water aren’t quite doing the trick with getting off sap, tar or other biomaterials, you can use a clay bar to help absorb leftover guck. After rinsing it off, use your car-based soap to help collect and clean off any thin films of biomaterial or minerals left on the surface followed by another rinse off. Adding on a layer of wax after the car dries is a powerful way to protect your car from the elements. This extra protective coating of wax basically adds on a raincoat and sunscreen for your car in the singular application.
Healthy Car Promotes a Healthy Lifetime
Scratches, dents, and wear-down over time will cause the lifetime of your car’s exterior to decay much faster. Once dirt, water, and biomaterial get past the finish and the paint of the vehicle, rust can start to set in causing the frame to become brittle and corroded. Actively taking care of repairs and detailing your car can end up saving more money down the road and keep your car in fighting form for a significantly longer period of time. Engines generate a lot of heat which can cause paint and your car’s exterior finish to wear away over time; staying up to date with maintenance and your car’s fluids can help the engine run more efficiently and save money on repairs/detailing later on.
Summer is a great time of year to enjoy outdoor adventures; it can be tough to maintain a flawless car exterior with heat, rain and dusty elements working to chip away. With a bit of preparation and consistent care, the lifetime of your vehicle’s body and paint can be greatly extended.
